As we approach the final weekend of the 2025/26 Gallagher Prem season, all eyes were on round 17.
Heading into the penultimate weekend of the Gallagher Prem season, there was all to play for in the play-off and Champions Cup pictures.
Sides across the division were engrossed in vital matches in the context of their season, with all five matches this weekend having something riding on it.
With all that in mind, let's take a look at how round 17 unfolded.
Bristol topple champions to keep play-off chances alive
Round 17 opened on Friday night with a bumper West Country derby between play-off hunting Bristol Bears and defending champions Bath Rugby at Ashton Gate.
Heading into the contest, the Bears still held faint hopes of a top four finish, with nothing but a win enough to keep them in the hunt.
Meanwhile, the Blue, Black and Whites were embroiled in a battle to retain a spot in the top two and secure a home semi final.
The defending champions raced to an early 12-0 lead after half an hour, eventually holding a 7-19 lead heading into the interval.
Sensationally, du Toit's try - and subsequent conversion from Donoghue - were the last points scored by Bath in the match, with a penalty try and another from Lahiff putting Bristol in front.
Pat Lam's side went on to secure victory - and the four points that come with it - while Bath were forced to make the short journey home with just a losing bonus point.
Although the victory kept Bristol in the play-off hunt, later results ensured that they would no longer be mathematically able to reach the top four.
Despite suffering a defeat, Bath still held their place in the top two by the end of the round as they look to guarantee a home semi final.
Saracens down 'Quins in dominant derby win
The second - and last - derby of the weekend took place at StoneX Stadium on Saturday, with Saracens hosting Harlequins.
Heading into the contest, both sides were in desperate need of victory, with Saracens hunting a spot in the play-offs and Harlequins still searching for a spot in next season's European Rugby Champions Cup.
With the form and ability of the two sides this season, many expected the hosts to win the match comfortably and the early penalty try for Saracens reflected this.
Surprisingly, Max Malins added the only other score of the half to give Mark McCall's side a 12-0 lead at the break.
In a tight, cagey affair, Harlequins closed the gap to 12-7 thanks to a try from Bradley, setting up a grandstand finish.
The final two minutes of the match were sublime viewing, as three tries in just three minutes of the game decided proceedings.
Tomkins extended Saracens lead to 19-7 in the 77th minute, before Anderson cut the gap back to seven points in the 78th minute.
At 19-12, the match could still have gone either way, before Dan secured victory for the hosts with a bonus-point securing try in the last minute of the match.
That result meant that Saracens momentarily entered the top four, before being overtaken again on Sunday. Harlequins remain ninth, one point outside of the Champions Cup places.
Northampton secure top spot despite Gloucester scare
Next up on Saturday, Northampton Saints hosted strugglers Gloucester, who had the opportunity to strengthen their grasp on their Champions Cup place.
Northampton on the other hand knew that - as a result of Bath's defeat at Bristol - they could secure a top of the table finish in the regular season with victory.
Gloucester - who many expected to lose heavily in this match in the build up - raced to an early 12-0 lead over the current title favourites, thanks to tries from Gwynne and Thorley.
Two quick tries from Hendy and Smith between the 20th and 23rd minute gave the Saints a 2-point lead, before Gloucester hit back again through Atkinson to lead 14-17.
Despite this, Northampton ultimately led 19-17 at half time, thanks to a try from Hutchinson, to set up a grand stand second half.
Both sides traded tries at the beginning of the second half through Gloucester's Loader (53rd minute) and Llewellyn (59th minute), alongside Northampton's Freeman (53rd minute) and Graham (65th minute).
Those tries left the score at 31-29 to the hosts with just five minutes left, before Atkinson looked set to put Gloucester in front once more and earn one of the upsets of the season in the 76th minute.
However, this wasn't to be, as Furbank crashed over in the last minute of the game to steal the win for the Saints.
While the bonus-point win secured a first place finish for Northampton, the two points gained for Gloucester mean that they are now a point ahead of Harlequins in the battle for Champions Cup rugby.
Sale continue to sink as Newcastle secure second win of the season
The final match on Saturday saw Sale Sharks' dismal season go from bad to worse, as they travelled to fellow Northerners Newcastle Red Bulls.
Heading into the contest, Newcastle were just playing for pride whilst Sale were battling to retain their spot in the top eight of the Gallagher Prem standings.
Newcastle's season has been nothing short of awful so far, winning just once, and that record looked set to continue after tries from Roebuck, Kelly, O'Flaherty, Carpenter and Longstaff left them 35-10 down at the break.
While many expected them to capitulate under the pressure of staring down the barrel of another heavy defeat, Mafi, Lockwood, a brace from Christie and a hattrick from Hearle inspired the Red Bulls to just their second victory of the campaign.
Hearle's third, a blistering counter attack running in unopposed under the posts, secured a late, last-minute win for the Red Bulls, giving their fans one of the moments of the season in one of their worst seasons to date.
While Newcastle's fait of finishing bottom of the standings was already sealed, this result continues to drag Sale Sharks into the battle for Champions Cup rugby, now sitting just five points ahead of ninth place Harlequins.
Exeter upset Leicester to set up tantalising final day
The weekend rounded off with a finely poised play-off shootout between Leicester Tigers and Exeter Chiefs at Welford Road on Sunday.
Leicester, who had not lost a home league match all season, went into the contest as favourites, knowing that a win would move them second in the standings and into a home play-off semi final position.
Meanwhile, Saracens' result earlier in the weekend had meant that Exeter dropped to fifth in the standings heading into this fixture, with the Chiefs desperate for the win to keep their play-off future in their own hands.
A cagey first half, which saw tries from Exeter's Woodburn and a debut score from Tigers' Pearson, had the match on a knife edge, with the game sat at 14-13 at the interval.
Exeter came flying out of the traps after the break, with Ikitau and Woodburn - for a second time - dotting over the line, to give the visitors a 12-25 lead in the 53rd minute.
A yellow card for Woodburn, reducing Exeter to 14 men for 10 minutes, inspired a Leicester comeback, with substitutes Cracknell and Clare - alongside the boot of Bailey - giving the Tigers a narrow 26-25 lead with 10 minutes left.
The Tigers' lead didn't last long, with Zambonin dotting down just three minutes later to restore the Chiefs advantage. A late penalty from Slade took their advantage to 26-35 and ensured that the Tigers would take zero points from the match.
That swing means that Exeter close the gap on the Tigers to just two points, with both sides now in the hunt to catch second place Bath - who are two points ahead of the Tigers - and still looking over their shoulders somewhat to Saracens in fifth.
